Bation osi new yobk



Jan. 10, 1928;

J. R. WATKINS CATTLE KNOCKING TOOL Filed Aug. 6, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 10, 1928. 1,655,671

4 J. R. WATKINS CATTLE KNOCKING TOOL Filed Ausz. 6, 1925 2 sheets-511m 2 lime/11%);

Jan. 10, 1928. J I 1 (UNITED PATENT oFFica- JESSE R, warxrns, or srL'ibsni ii, 'nissoUnI, nssrenon ro can AMERICAN SOCIETY roe THE PREVENTION oricmmnrv To ANIMALS,YOF NEW YORK, n. A. 001190 RATION on NEW Yonx.

GATTLE-KNOCKING moon.

Applicationfiled aug st 6, 1923; Serial No. 656,092.

The present invention relates'to jdevices 1 adapted for'use in cattle slaughtering opera tions, and aims to provide an improved device of this character which is designed, to facilitate those operations and also render the same more accurate and humane. f f

Accordingly, I have-devised'an improved cattle-knocking device, adapted to be conveniently wielded by hand, in'such a manner as to efliciently puncture and fracture the skull of the animal, with the effect of rendering the animal unconscious preparatory to the use of the knife as tlienext step of the slaughtering operation. Inthe use of the improved device, the operator. is

simply required to lightly tap the head of,

the animal with the operative point of the tool, which impact sets in operatien the essential working mechanism of the 1 tool whereby a punch element is actuated with the required force 'to puncture and fracture the animals skull, I

In the form of the device which I have devised and found practicahl make "use of 'a cylinder provided witha plunger having a punch element which is actuated for BffeCt: ing the animal-lmocking operation, this plunger being actuated by pressure and its operation adapted to be controlledz'b'yf the action of a pressure member projecting in position to be engaged with the head of the animal as the operator wields'the tool in the vknocking operation. The motive me v dium used for actuating the plungermay be of any desired character, such as gasoline or other forms of explosive media, or compressed air or other simple expansive media, which may be conveniently conducted to; the expansion chamber of the tool; f

It is also sought to provide a simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive type of construction, whose operation willbe extremely efficient, and adapted to displace some of the cumbersome and inaccurate devices now employed.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying draw.- ings'illustrating certain forms of construc tion for embodying the proposed improve,

ment which have been found practical, after which thosefeatures deemedto be novel will be particularly set forth and claimed. In the drawings Figure 1 is aside elevation, partially broken away to "revealinterior parts, i and illustrating a cattle-knocking 7 tool con; structed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same; s Figure 3 is a detail, representing a section taken on'the'line III-J1]; of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation, similar to Figure 1, but illustrating a different form of construction, adapted for use with cont pressed air as the motive fluid; 1

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the device shown in Figure 4; a

Figure 6 is adetail, representing asection taken on the line VIP-VI ofFigure 5.- Referringnow to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, these illustrate a type of construction enibodylng the improvements, in which an ex- P medium, such as gasoline, is designed to ,be used as themotive fluid for actuatingf the plunger which operates the punch element, whereby the knocking operation is efi'ectedl Inthis form 'of-a construction, I employ a cylindermember 8 in which operates a plunger or piston memher 9 having connected to its lower face a piston rod -10 preferably of hollow form, as shown, and having the lower end thereof provided with a suitable punch element, 11, in thelower or outer end of which is formed a suitable conical "recess 12, as illustrated in F igure' 1. To the upper end ofthe 'cylin der 8 is attached a cylinder head 14 providing a c'ombus'ti'onchamber 15 separated from thecylinder 8 by a suitablepartition or diaphragm 16' formed with a central passage or port 17, which isintermittently opened and closed by a ground valve boss 18 provided on the upper face of the plunger or piston9, Y The port 17 is maintained nor-' mally closed by virtue of the plunger 9 being maintainednorma-lly elevated in the position shown in Figure 1 by the action of a coil spring 19 the upper end of which is engaged with the under face of the plunger, while the lower end portion of said spring is seated within the fold of a double-walled sleeve20 attached in projecting relation to springlQ, but the central passage 2l within said sleeve .formsa-shield for the punch elethe action of the plunger 9.

The cylinder head 14 is provided with an intake port 22 controlled-by an intake valve 23 carried by a sliding valve stem 24 fitted with a spring 25 operating to maintain the valve 23 normally closed but yielding under sufficient pressure to admit a. charge of explosive fuel to the chamber 15. The valve port 22 communicateswith an intake cham ber 26 fitted with suitable conicalscreens 2? for the purpose of filteringthe incoming charge which is conducted to the chamber 26 by way of a passage 28 provided in a valve fitting 29 which is attached to the cylinder head 14. The valve fitting 29 is provided with a valve plug 30 operated by a hand wheel 31 to produce successive halfturns of the valve, the valve plug 30 being provided with corresponding recesses 32 engaged by a suitable catch 33', so that the valve is maintained yieldingly in its successive half-turn positions; In each of] these positions the passage 34 of the valve is brought in register with a vent port 35 in the valve fitting 29, and in each half-turn of the valve, the passage 35 is brought in register first with a fuel intake port 36, and sec end, with an air intake port 37, this port 37 being connected with a pipe 38 leading to any convenient source of air under pressure which may be available. Theport 36 is connected with a pipe 39, the other end of which is positioned below the level of the fuel, such as gasoline, within a. reservoir 40 which may conveniently be formed as a part of the handle 41 whereby the device is de signed to be manually operated, one end of this handle being connected to the'side of the cylinder 8, and preferably at rightangles thereto. By means of a union 42 and additional handle section 43, the handle may be extended to any desired length. From the air pipe 88, a branch connection 38 is made to the handle member 41, so a's to communicate with the interior of the reservoir 40 above the fuel level therein, for the obvious purpose of maintaining the liquid fuel under such a pressure as will cause feeding of the fuel up the pipe 39 into the valve'passage 34 whenever the latter is in register with the port 36. Thereafter, when the valve is turned to bring said valve passage 34 into register with the port 37, it is apparent that the air pressure from the pipe 38 will forcibly feed the measured charge of liquid fuel into the intake chamber 26 and likewise force open the valve 23, with the result that the combustion chamber 15 is charged with an explosive mixture of the gasoline, or other liquid fuel vapor, and air. A suitable'check valve 7 is preferably fitted in the branch pipe 38, which acts to prevent any of the liquid fuel from entering the pipe 38 in other positions of the device than that shown.

I The cylinder head 14 may be provided with a conventional form of spark plug 45, connected with a lead wire 46 forming a part of a suitableignition circuit, in which isalso included a lead wire 47 having a. contact element 48 attached to the cylinder 8, as shown in Figure 1.

The ignition circuit is adapted to be closed through the spark plug by short-circuiting the same through the cylinder and its sleeve extension .20, this operation being carried out by means of afislidi'ng contact element 50 mounted in guide loops or keepers 51 and actuated by a coil spring 52 tending to hold the element 50 in outwardly projecting relation, so that in the wielding operation of the implement, in which the opening of the passage 21 is brought against the skull of the animal, the projecting end of the element 50 is engaged and operated against the action of a spring 52, to make contact with the element 48, and thereby close the ignition circuit. This obviously results in the explosion of the charge in the chamber 15, and the consequent downward movement of the plunger in response to the force of said explosion, and the driving of the punch element 11 into the skull of the animal. The movement of the plunger is designed to bring it below a set discharge or exhaust openings 54, permitting the waste gases to escape in this position of the plunger. The stroke of the plunger is of course suflicient to enable it to obtain the required momentum after the explosion to impartthe necessary force in the delivery of the punching stroke. In passing below the exhaust openings 54, the plungers movement is cushioned by the air cushion formed in the space within the lower end of the plunger and inside the sleeve 20, the action of this air cushion also serving to assist or initiate the upward return movement of the plunger, in an obvious manner. The latter part of this return movement is also cushioned by the compression of some air in the upper part of the cylinder 8, such air however leaking past the piston as the plunger settles into the position illustrated in Figure 1.

For convenience as well as compactness of construction, it is preferred to extend the lead wires 46 and 47, as well as the air hose 55, connecting with the pipe 38, through the outer hollow sections 43 of the handle, thus insuring against any of these loose parts interfering with the operation of the device.

It is believed the operation of this form of the construction will be clear from the foregoing, but to summarize the same and assuming that the parts are in the position illustrated in Figure 1, with the plunger 9 maintained in position for closing the port ill") 17,,the valve \wheelfllisgiven a half-turn to bring the ,valve passage 34 into successive register a with the ports 36 and137,.which results inthe valve passage recelvmgameasandabroken upinto a fine, spray and thoroughly intermingled with the air. The air pressureforces the fuel charge past the valve 23into the combustion chamber 15, the-action of the spring 19 beingsuificientto maintain the port i7closed 7 against said air pressure.

" The device isnow ready for. the ad1nin'ister ing of the knocking stroke in which-theopera'tor simplytaps the head of ,the'animal at the proper point with the end portion of the sleeve 20, which of course. presses the contact element 50 upward and closes the circuitthrough the engagementof said contact element with the contact- 48, thereby exploding thecharge in thecombustion chamber 15. This explosion overcomes the action of the spring 19, and produces a powerful outward movement of'the plunger Sand its punch element 11-,the latter. being driven intothe foreheadfandbrain of the animal.- As the exhaust gases escape through theopenings 5 4, the plunger is at once returned to original position by the action of the spring 19,,whereup'on the subsequent operations are simply a repetition of theone justdescribed.

The foregoing construction is found to be thoroughly practical for operation invthe manner described where the airpressure available for supply to the pipe 38 is as low as 30 to 40 pounds;- but" where a higher air pressure is available, such as 80 ,toc90 pounds pressure, the explosive fuel medium may be dispensed with, and air pressure alone, used as the motive force for the device, for which purpose -I have devised the construction illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and ,6 of the drawings. In this form of a device, I usea cylinder in which operates a plunger-or piston 61 provided with a piston rod 62 carrying a punch element63 adapted, by the operation of the plunger, to n be projected outward through the guide extension or sleeve 64. The-plunger or piston 61 is maintained normally retracted or in its elevated position as shown in Figures 4 and 5,by means of a pair of coil springs 66 attached to the interior. of

thecylinder head 67, in which position the piston is positively latched by means of a pair of catches 68 slidingly mounted in bearings 69 located at diametrically opposite points on the cylinder 60, as clearly illustrated in Figure 5-. These catches 68--are adapted to be actuated by means of pins 70 engaging outwardly inclined slots 71 in vertically movable slides 72which are connected by rods 73 to the ends of a combined yoke and wardly projecting relation to said sleeve by the action of a coil spring 7 5 interposed between said pressure member 74 and the lower end of the cylinder 60. Suitable guide lugs or keepers 76 are, provided on opposite sides of the cylinder 60for slidingly accommodating the member 72 and rod connections 78. Rotatably mounted in ajsuitable bearing 77 formed on the cylinder head 67 is a valve plug 78, formed with a right angle valve passage 7 9 adapted to establish communication between the intake port 80 (leading into the pressure chamber 81 of the cylinder) alternatively, witha vent port 82 and an air intakeport 83, the latter being supplied withan air pipe connection 84-leading to any suitable sourceof compressed air supply, forthe sake of convenience, it is preferred to connect the air pipe 84 with the hollow handle 86, which is fitted with a cap 87 having a nipple .88 to which the supply air-hose 89 is connected, Figure 4. t I

The valve 78 is manually operated by a hand wheel 90, and the valve is formed. with a lug 91 operating between stops 92 approximately 90 degrees apart (see Figure 6), so as to limit the rotation of the valve to a quarter-turn in either direction. Inthe'operation of this form of the construction, and assuming that the parts are in the positions-shown in Figures 4 and 5, air is admitted tothe chamberSIunder the degree of pressure at the'source of the supply, andthe piston 61 is maintainedagainst movement by its positive engagement with the catches 68; -The plunger is therefore in position for operation'as soonas the tool is applied in the knocking operation, to present the pressure member74 to engage ment with the animals head, resulting in upward movement of said pressure member and the outward actuation-of the catches 68, which obviously results in the release of-the plunger 61 to the action of the air pressure, and the driving of the punch ele-, ment 63 into the forehead of the animal, as in the previously explained operation. In its downward movement, the plunger uncloses the exhaust. openings' 95, thereby releasing the air pressure above the plunger, whereupon, on the operators turning the valve to establish communication between the port 80 and the vent port 82 by way of the valve passage 7 9, the plunger'or piston 61 may be readily returned to initial'position bythe pull of the springs 66, and as soon as'the piston has arrived in initial position it is again automatically latched by the springing of thecatches 68 (inresponse to the'action of the spring 7 5) into engagement with the lower margin ofthe piston. The parts are now in position nearly fora as illustrated in repetition of the action just described, on rotation of the valve to original position to renew the pressure inthe chamber 8 1, as will be readily understood.

It will therefore be apparent that I have devised a practical and efficient tool or implement adapted for promoting both the speed and accuracy of operations of this character, in that the use of a heavy sledge or the like is dispensed with, and the 'operator is enabled, by the improved device, to simply lightly tap the proper point on the animals head where the puncture is to be made through the skull into the brain, which lightly tappin stroke can be madewith such small effort on the part of the operator as not to interfere with his aiming his stroke with the greatest degree of accuracy for producing the puncture at the: correct or most vital point of the skull of the animal.

lVhile I have illustrated and described what 'I now regard as the preferred forms of construction for embodying the proposed improvements, I desire to reserve the right to make all such changes or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims. T

What I claim is:

1. An animal-knocking tool comprising a cylinder having a handle member projecting atright angles to the axis of said cylinder, a pressure-operated plunger mounted in said cylinder and provided with an axial punch element actuated into outwardly projecting position by the operative movement of said plunger, means movable independently of said punch element and actuated by impact upon the tool, as the same is wielded in the knocking operation, for automatically set-' ting said plunger in operation, and spring means interposed between said plunger and one end of the cylinder and acting yieldingly after each operative movement of said plunger and punch element to retract the same automatically into initial inoperative position.

2, An animal-knocking tool comprising a cylinder having a plunger provided with an axial punch element actuated into outwardly projecting position by the operative movement of the plunger, a combustion chamber in communication with one face of said plunger, means for feeding an explosive charge to said chamber, and ignition means provided with a circuit-closing element 'actuated by engagement with the animal in the knocking operation. A

3. An animal-knocking tool comprising a cylinder having a plunger provided with an axial punch element actuated into outwardly projecting position by the operative movement of the plunger, a combustionchamber in communication. with one face of said plunger, means for feeding an explosive charge to said chamber, means for maintain ing said plunger'normally in retracted position in compressive relation to said charge, and ignition means provided with a circuitclosing element actuated by engagement with the animal in the knocking operation.

4. An animal-knocking tool comprising a cylinder having a diaphragm forming a combustion chamber in one end of said cylinder, a plunger operating in said cylinder and provided with an axial punch element actuated into outwardly projecting position by'the operative movementof the plunger, said diaphragm having a central port and the corresponding face of said plunger having a boss operating as a valve to close said port in the retracted position of the plunger, means for maintaining said plunger normally in retracted position, means for feeding 'an explosive charge to said cham'ber,,and ignition means provided with a circuit-closing element actuated by engagement with the animal in the knocking operation.

- 5. An animal-knocking tool comprising a cylinder having a plunger provided with a. punch element actuated into outwardly projecting position by the operative movement of the plunger, a combustion chamber in communication with one face of said plunger, means for feeding a measured quantity of liquid fuel, under pressure, into said chamber, and means set in operation by the wieldingof the tool into knocking position for igniting the charge in said chamber.

6. An animal-knocking tool comprising a cylinder having a plunger provided with a punch element actuated into outwardly projecting position by. the operative movement of the plunger,a combustion chamber in communication withone face of said plunger, a valve for measuring a. quantity of liquid fuel to be fed into said chamber, a compressed-air connect-ion associated With said valve for feeding the charge into said chamber under pressure, and ignition means provided with a circuit-closing element actuated by engagement with the animal in the knocking operation.

7. An animal-knocking tool comprising a cylinder having a plunger provided with a punch element actuated into outwardly projecting position by the operative movement of theplunger, a combustion chamber in communication with one face of said plunger, a hollow handle connected at right angles to said cylinder and maintaining a supply of liquid fuel therefor, means for measuring a charge of liquid fuel to be fed from said handle to said chamber, means for feeding said charge under pressure to said chamber, and ignition means provided with a circuitclosing element actuated by engagement with the animal in the knocking operation.

8. An animal-knocking tool comprising a cylinder having a plunger provided with a.

punch elementactuated into outwardly projecting position by the operative movement of the plunger, a combustion chamber in communication with one face of said plunger, a hollow handle connected at right angles to said cylinder and forming a reservoir for liquid fuel, a connection between said reservoir and combustion chamber and provided with a 'valve for measuring the charge to be fed to said chamber, a compressed-air connection associated with said valve for mixing air with the fuel and feeding the same into said chamber under pressure, said compressed-air connection also communicating with said reservoir for maintaining the liquid supply therein under pressure, and ignition means provided with a circuitclosing element actuated by engagement with the animal in the knocking operation.

In Witness whereof I hereunto afiix my 20 signature.

JESSE a. WATKINS. 

